Volume 5, Issue 4, April – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
How are Children Coping with the COVID-19
Pandemic? A Developing Country Perspective
Kadiann Hewitt-Thompson
Assistant Lecturer
The UWI School of Nursing
Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Abstract:- This paper sought to discuss how children in
developing countries are coping with the social,
emotional and financial impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on their daily lives. Additionally, the evidence
presented will increase awareness that children also
experience varying impact of COVID-19 and provide
guidance about coping mechanisms that may change the
course of the impact and limit long term effects of the
pandemic on them. It also explored the psychosocial
influence of social determinants of children living in a
developing country, the impact on their academic
continuity and the role of parents in supporting
children. Finally, the paper proposes pragmatic
recommendations for achieving optimal social outcomes
for children who experience pandemics.
Keywords:- Covid-19 pandemic, strategies for coping,
children coping with pandemic, online education, access to
the internet, play.
I. INTRODUCTION
A pandemic can trigger numerous emotions including
fear, concern, uncertainty, and anxiety as individuals
experience and appraise the effects of this growling
COVID-19 virus on the world. It remains speculative
regarding the conclusion of this public health crisis.
Children are considered a vulnerable group and often
mirror the emotions of their parents or guardians thereby
magnifying the psychosocial impact of this global health
challenge on them, especially if their parents are not coping
well during this time. Play is a very important aspect of a
child’s development; it helps to develop their fine and gross
motor skills as well as their language and socialization
skills (Kessel, 2018; Anderson-McNamee & Bailey, 2010).
During this time, play may be significantly impacted as
some children may be restricted to their homes and may not
be able to play outside, they may also not have any other
children at home to play with or they may be fearful to play
outside. Children may experience the pandemic and the
related restrictions as a traumatic experience, where they
were unexpectedly taken out of school and taken away
from their norm, suddenly not permitted to physically
interact with their teachers and friends and compelled into a
absolutely different and unique situation; where they are
required to participate in distance learning and with little to
no interaction with their peers.
IJISRT20APR918 www.ijisrt.com
Donnette Wright
PhD candidate
The UWI School of Nursing
Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
II. HOW CHILDREN AT EACH DEVELOPMENTAL
LEVEL ARE COPING
Infants and toddlers at this time are not cognizant of
the intricacies of the pandemic happening around them and
the extent to which they may be greatly impacted. Children
of this age may experience pleasure from the accessibility
of their parents who work from home. Parents should
maximize on this opportunity to support their children and
participate in their academic and psychological
development.
A. Effects of COVID-19 on pre-school age and
recommendations
Pre-school children may not fully appreicate what is
happening around them, but they may have feelings of
helplessness and uncertainty. These children may regress
psychosocially even with skills that they may have already
acquired prior to the start of the pandemic. The regression
may arise due to the overwhelming concerns they may have
without adequate opportunities to express themselves (The
National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2020). They may
also miss their friends and the interactions they would have
had at school or day care facilities.
It is recommended that these children be reassured,
also that parents establish regular family routines, plan
comforting activities, play with them, demonstrate patience
and tolerance when dealing with these children and avoid
or limit their exposure to the media (The National Child
Traumatic Stress Network, 2020).
B. Effects of COVID-19 on school-age and
recommendations
School-age children usually feel confident in their
abilities to respond to challenges in their lives based on
their past experiences, but at this time that confidence may
be eroded and they may feel a sense of fear and concern for
their own safety and the safety of their family members.
This worry or concern may cause the children to experience
sleep disturbances including insomnia, hypersomnia or
delayed sleep phase disorder, which may create
concentration challenges, generally or with their online
educational activities.
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Volume 5, Issue 4, April – 2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
It is recommended that parents and guardians exercise
patience and tolerance as well as provide reassurance
during this time. Additionally, parents should provide an
opportunity for play sessions and regular exercise and
staying in touch with their friends via telephone and
internet. In an effort to reduce children’s fears, parents
should discuss the current outbreak and encourage
questions and including family and community strategies to
manage the situation. It is best to limit media exposure and
parents should address contemporaneous stigma or
discrimination and clarify misinformation that they may
have been exposed to (The National Child Traumatic Stress
Network, 2020).
C. Effects of COVID-19 on adolescents and
recommendations
Adolescents may also be greatly impacted by this
pandemic, as adolescents usually prefer to spend time with
their friends than their families. Home confinement limits
the communication preferences of adolescents. They may
react to this experience by being easily agitated and
demonstrating a low energy and interest in activities, along
with sleep and appetite disturbances.
It is recommended that they are also reassured, and
parents should also exercise patience and tolerance with
them during this time. Encourage them to discuss the
outbreak experience with friends and family if they desire.
Allow them to stay in touch with their friends via telephone
and internet with supervision and monitoring. In addition,
limit media exposure, but discuss what they hear and
clarify misconceptions (The National Child Traumatic
Stress Network, 2020).
D. Effects of COVID-19 on academics
Prior to the Outbreak of COVID-19, children in
Jamaica were primarily engaged using face to face
classroom teachings. The pandemic has caused
unprecedented changes in the learning milieu in this
country’s history, forcing administrators to utilize
innovative methodologies to engage students in teaching
and learning activities for extended periods. One of the
challenges developing countries experience is a limitation
in resources. Additionally, in Jamaica it is estimated that
30-40% of the population of school children, especially
those in rural areas and low-income communities, do not
own an electronic device nor have continuous reliable
access to internet service due to the limited bandwidth from
the two major telecommunication companies on the island
(Clarke, 2020).
Children are now being engaged in this ‘new’ format
of learning via online media, which is proving to be a
challenge. The Ministry of Education in Jamaica has
entered into an agreement with the two main
telecommunications companies in the country to subsidise
access rates for specific educational websites. Whilst this
was a good venture to alleviate the strain on some parents;
there are still some children who do not own electronic
devices and it may be necessary to use parents’ phone to
gain access to educational sites. The alternative access may
IJISRT20APR918 www.ijisrt.com
ISSN No:-2456-2165
pose challenges with synchronous learning especially when
there is inconsistent connectivity. These challenges are
common among Jamaican children who have had new
expectations imposed on them. With no alternative
strategies developed to help those who are unable to access
the lessons, it is uncertain the impact this will have on their
academic continuity. In addition, significant responsibility
has been placed on parents, some of whom are not
equipped educationally or emotionally to support their
children in this process.
It is recommended that the Ministry of Education
mandate schools not to offer any new concept or topic
during this time, to ensure that children who are unable to
access the online lessons are not disadvantaged.
Nevertheless, at this time classes can be centred on revision
to improve the students’ understanding. In addition, if
schools decide to test students during this time, the results
should not be included in their permanent record but as
benchmark for the teachers to acquaint themselves with
children’s academic capacity as well as to guide continued
educational engagement. The schools can also provide
additional support to parents to ensure that the goal of the
institution is being met during this time.
Children need all the support they can get during this
time to ensure that they are not overwhelmed with these
unprecedented changes in their lives and lessen the impact
that this traumatic experience may have on their lives.
REFERENCES
[1]. Anderson-McNamee, J., & Bailey, S. (2010). The
Importance of Play in Early Childhood Development.
Retrieved from,
http://health.msuextension.org/documents/MT201
003H.pdf
[2]. Clarke, P. (2020, April 23). Students juggle phones in
online home classes. The Gleaner Jamaica, p.
A3.
[3]. Kessel, J. (2018). “Let Our Children Play: The
Importance of Play in Early Childhood
Education”. University of Montana Journal of
Early Childhood Scholarship and Innovative
Practice 2 (1) article 5: 1–6.
[4]. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2020).
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope
With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Retrieved from,
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-caregiver-
guide-to-helping-familiescope-with the-
coronavirus-disease-2019
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